Matthew Smith, Executive vice president, ProExec, RT Specialty

Matthew Smith, Executive vice president, ProExec, RT Specialty

Matthew Smith
RT Specialty
Specialty: Professional Liability

Matthew Smith began his insurance career in 2005 at Heath Lambert in London, where he was responsible for brokering business throughout Lloyd’s of London with a focus on professional liability. After finishing a four-month program, he moved back to the US to become a broker at S.H. Smith & Company, continuing his focus on professional liability. Within four years, Smith was appointed to vice president, and in 2011, he was promoted to senior vice president, taking over the firm’s Boston operations. Following the sale of S.H. Smith to RT Specialty, Smith created his own professional liability team and was soon named an executive vice president.

In Smith’s opinion, the biggest challenge in PL is adapting to the current marketplace. “When an agent contacts you with their client’s business, they are trusting you not only for your expertise in said product, but also your understanding of the marketplace as a whole,” he says. “I believe that you’re only as good as your relationships with your underwriters. You can be the best broker in the industry, but if you don’t have the relationships and trust from your markets, then you’re just like everyone else.”